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Residents press council over warming shelter closure, delivery‑truck safety and proposed gas plant
Summary
During public comment, residents raised urgent concerns about Monument Square delivery trucks blocking loading zones and public safety, the closure of the warming shelter during a blizzard because of staffing and protocol, and a proposed 10 MW natural‑gas cogeneration plant that a commenter said could add roughly 40,000–50,000 tons of CO2 per year.
Several residents used the council’s public‑comment period to raise safety and climate concerns and to press city officials for immediate changes.
James Schafer, who said he represents Bob’s Home Kitchen on Monument Square, told the council that delivery drivers — he singled out FedEx vehicles — repeatedly park in the designated loading zone and operate heavy trucks on the pedestrian mall. "My number one concern in all of this is the obvious risk these trucks present to public safety," Schafer said, noting drivers weighing more than five tons and documenting violations he reported to the city and state transportation departments.
Joey Burnell, a Pine Street resident, flagged a proposed 10‑megawatt natural‑gas cogeneration plant on the Eastern Waterfront and told councilors such a facility could emit "about 40 to 50,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year," roughly 6% of the city's 2017 greenhouse‑gas inventory, and urged the sustainability committee to investigate alternatives.
Multiple commenters — and some councilors — also criticized the city’s decision not to open the overnight warming shelter during the blizzard. Assistant city manager Greg Jordan told the council staff checked criteria and staffing levels and concluded the shelter did not strictly meet the temperature/snow thresholds for an overnight opening and that the city lacked capacity to operate it overnight that night. "We discussed whether we even have the capacity to put the shelter into operation ... because of the staffing constraints we're operating under," Jordan said. He and councilors said staff would review criteria and staffing and that the city's HHS committee would examine winter shelter operations.
Councilors voiced frustration and urged staff to find more flexible staffing or contingency plans for extreme weather. Councilor Bullock said the council had discussed staffing options earlier and called the lack of capacity "incredibly frustrating." Councilor Pelletier called for creative solutions to use volunteers or other staff to stand up operations during extreme weather.
City staff said they will review shelter criteria and capacity, and councilors said the HHS committee will take the matter up in coming weeks.
